Now that the holidays are over I have time to relax and clean...maybe I'll even start baking (moustache) cookies and canning fruit. I also have time to start working toward my 2012 goals of expanding my business both virtually and in the brick and mortar realm. I have plans to make more art and sculptures. Like these cat sculptures... Dilly and Tiger, mother and daughter cats who past away in the past years. They were a gift for my mother.
These are orders that I completed this past holiday season. You can order them at my shop. Many of them were custom made, you can order custom made portraits and  necklaces (or art) of your favorite places personalized with a heart for Valentine's Day.

Grandmothers

All 3 of the Grandmother Embroider Art Series are finished. These are all portraits of my grandmothers. I may make more (because I have 2 more grandmothers). They are available for purchase in my etsy shop. Or you commission me to make custom made portraits of your own grandmothers or other people and animals of importance.

 Mary Kay [thread, fabric, wood and metal. 7" 2011]

Paternal grandmother, also called Gramma Grimes.

 Mary [thread, fabric, wood and metal. 5" 2011]

Maternal grandmother, also called Grammary.

Clara [thread, fabric, wood and metal. 5" 2011]

Grandmother-in-law, also called Nonna.

Athena

Athena (2011) Mixed media, watercolor and graphite on paper, 150cm x 124cm.
She is the 5th goddess in my Greek Goddess Series. I'm going to get some professional photos of them all and re post them (also because I made some changes to some of them).

Good Things Come in Threes

Three is a very powerful and spiritual number and here are some new necklaces featuring "Three" > the 1st is Trinity Necklace -Three Brass Cubes and the 2nd is Honey Comb Necklace -Three Brass Octagons.

 This Coral Bullet and Blue Stone Necklace is very special because of the properties of coral-one of which is to reduce debt!

This is the Embroidered Map of USA Wall Hanging I love the colors and the way it turned out!
All of these treasures can be found in my Etsy shop.

Augustin Lesage

 Composition symbolique, oil and graphite on canvas, 1928

 Composition symbolique, oil on canvas

oil on canvas (date and title unknown)

 (date and title unknown)

Diligently working in his studio (date unknown)

I just found out about this French outsider artist, Augustin Lesage (Saint-Pierre-Lez-Auche, 1876 - Burbure, 1954) and I'm wondering why I didn't already know his name. He was a coal miner who believed that spirits were guiding his hand and would come home from the mines every evening to work on his paintings. I think these works are amazing because he was way ahead of his time. Google him, his paintings are amazing and he was a really fascinating guy too.

Rene Magritte

 La Cascade, 1961

 The Blank Check, 1965

Castle in the Pyrenees, 1959

Song of Love, 1964

 

Clear Ideas, 1955

Rikka Sormunen

 Cruel Summer

 Dark Waters

 

Nest

I love these compositions that are packed with patterns and textures by Rikka Sormunen.

Snowy Early Spring

These are my new etsy favorites. They aren't very spring appropriate but it was supposed to snow today, right? I love to knit and I love Scandinavian fair isle knit patterns and textured cables and these amazing pieces of art have to do with that!! The two deer trophies on the left side are both by an artist named Rachel Denny and the Christmas Lynx on the right is by a London artist named Sandra Dieckmann. I hope you will enjoy my finds! Happy April Fools Day.

Hair Glasses Beard

 I'm starting to make a pattern, Last year for our anniversary I gave my husband an embroidered portrait of us this year I made my husband this (embroidered portrait of us). I wonder what (embroidered portrait) I will make him next year.
You can order your own hair portrait in my etsy shop.

new favorites

 

1. Fur Necklace by bydessaivre
2. Folk Art Owl Doll by cartbeforethehorse
3. Fringed Leather Bag by elehandmade
4. Delilah All in One Dress by heroinelabel

A Wall Hanging Has Finally Been Made

I have been meaning to make wall hanging versions of my map necklaces for a while now. I thought they would be good for men and people who don't like loud jewelry.

I have finally made the first one. It is a map of Switzerland. I have made it as a gift for my grandmother and also as part of the "who do you think you are" challenge of the Indie Free Spirits Team.

El Anatsui

I found the work of El Anatsui in the Met in the African art section and in the contemporary American art wing. I was captivated by it both times. The use of hard, unconventional materials to make woven like tapestries really intrigued me. El Anatsui is a Ghanaian artist who has worked mostly in Nigeria.